Breaking Free
by Sydrian4EVER
Summary: Sydney Sage's mother and sisters died years ago. Her father dies soon after and she's left in custody of her step-mother and step-sisters. But Prince Adrian Ivashkov is holding a royal ball to find a wife. Sydney's step-mother forbids her to attend, but Sydney is determined to contradict her. But what if she finds more that what she bargains for at the ball...? Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1: Explanation

**A/N: Okay, so this chapter is more and informative chapter and is kind of short. **

**Summary: Sydney Sage's mother and sisters died a long time ago. After, her grief-stricken father makes a foolish mistake of remarrying to a woman who treats Sydney horribly. Her father dies and she's left in custody of her step-mother and step-sisters. But Prince Adrian Ivashkov is holding a royal ball to find a wife. Sydney's step-mother forbids her to attend, but Sydney is determined to go to the ball and defy her step-mother's commands. But what if she finds more at the ball than what she hoped for…?**

**SYDRIAN!**

* * *

I could barely remember my parents.

I remembered that my mother was my favourite. I remember that I had my father's eyes. I remember nothing else.

It saddened me, although in a way I feel like I had lost nothing as I couldn't conjure from my memory what I had lost. But with the life I had now, I don't care if I remembered it or not; I missed it.

My step-mother, Donna Stanton was the worst-tempered, ill-mannered, biggest control freak I had ever met. She had me do all the chores around the mansion, she had me cook breakfast, lunch and dinner and she had me constantly attend to my two step-sisters, Sabrina (A/N you'll only know her if you have read TIS) and Rose (A/N I also don't like Rose); who were spoilt brats-I want to call them the bad word but I just couldn't. Maybe Trey was right and I was just too innocent for my own good; Trey was one of my two only friends, Eddie was the other. They were sweet and understanding, Eddie is very protective of me against Stanton and hasn't hesitated to put her in her place before-with words of course. Trey was a stable boy and Eddie worked in the kitchens.

Last week we received news, I had yet to decide if it was good or bad. Sabrina and Rose were ecstatic about the royal ball being held for His Highness Prince Adrian Ivashkov's 21st birthday; all fair maidens from across the land were to attend, for Prince Ivashkov would be deciding who will be his wife.

Though I had never seen Prince Ivashkov in person, it is word from all ladies that he was strikingly handsome and extremely witty. Many women had spent nights with him although none of them had stuck around for long.

Prince Ivashkov was not picky about which woman he bedded with-I found it disgusting that he would lay with a woman with no intention of marrying her-but he was very picky about which woman he would wed. Before the His Highness King Nathan Ivashkov and Her Highness Queen Danielle Ivashkov had decided to throw a ball for their son, they had had many women from allying countries come to see the palace for the Queen insisted that her son would marry for love and not for beneficial purposes of the country.

I found it sweet, but it peeved the King off to no end. It was known to everyone that the King wished to have his son marry Her Highness Princess Vasilisa Dragomir, first of her name. She was the princess-to be queen-of France, her royal bloodline was almost stamped out of existence, her parents, His Highness King Eric Dragomir, Her Highness Queen Rhea Dragomir and her brother, His Highness Prince Andre Dragomir had died in a dinner party that was struck by assassins. Her and her half-sister, Jill Dragomir were the only survivors. Her advisers are pestering her to marry.

The two had met and hit it off; but they had no intention of falling in love and marrying. It was rumour that Princess Dragomir had fallen for His Highness Prince Christian Ozera, his parents had betrayed their country and had paid their lives for it, now the country was being ruled by His Highness King Dimitri Belikov and Her Highness Queen Natasha Ozera-Belikov until Prince Ozera marries and can take over.

Jill Dragomir had visited with her half-sister last month and Eddie had fallen for her fast; they two planned on running away together after Princess Dragomir marries and France is in safe hands. Trey himself had fallen in love, with a fiery young attendant of Rose, Angeline Dawes; she had been arrested once for attacking one of the dish boys-they had dragged her away as she screamed about sexual assault. I had confronted Trey about it and he claimed it was 'hot'.

"Sydney! Get out of bed and make breakfast!" Stanton screeched as she pounded on my door.

I sighed, though I'd been awake for an hour. I trudged my way to the door and thought:

_Let the day begin._

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**A/N: Just to clarify it is a Cinderella/Bloodlines thing, so it's Sydrian. I know it says that Dimitri is married to Tasha but it will end up with Rose and Dimitri together; I can do a separate story on them after this if you request.**


	2. Chapter 2: Intuition

**A/N: Okay, here is the second chapter. Slightly longer.**

* * *

_One week previous_

"Oh my Lord! Rosie! Come and look what was in the mail!" I heard Sabrina screech from downstairs.

Rose-who was currently getting her dress fitted-heard her sister's demands and immediately began moving towards the door, knocking a tub of pins onto my legs. Considering the long figure of the needles most of them didn't make it through my ragged dress, although they were extremely sharp and one got caught the lacing, when I made a grab for the tub as it fell, the side my hand hit the needle; hammering it down into my thigh.

I cried out quietly-as possible.

It was only half an inch in the skin, I plucked it out easily but more of my resentment was added to Rose-who I knew did it on purpose.

I staggered to my feet and left the room, waving to another maid to clean up the pins as I clambered down the stairs to the main room to see what the fuss was about. My step-sisters were in the middle of the room staring at a piece of paper and shrieking in excitement. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at their childishness, I-unlike the others-had noticed the poor mail-man-an elderly man, who was standing about two feet from the squealing girls and their mother, shell-shocked and scared. I made my way to him and politely told him he could leave now. His gaze flickered to me and his expression relieved, he began to let himself out before stopping and asking me: "Wait, I have something to deliver to a Sydney Sage. Do you know where she is?"

I hesitated. "I am her."

He reached into his satchel and produced a letter with the royal seal on it. I took it in my hands and ran my fingers over my name that was written in beautiful cursive writing.

I thanked him.

"No," he contradicted. "Thank you for letting me out of here."

I laughed softly and wished him a safe journey before turning to the three females who were staring at me-or more precisely, the letter in my hands.

They eyed it hungrily.

"Well?" snapped Stanton. "Open it!"

The request shocked me but my fingers broke the seal and I pulled the parchment out. Unfolding it, I began to read aloud:

"_Dear Miss Sydney Katherine Sage,_

_I must request that you attend my son's ball, I knew your mother and I know that you would make a fine wife for my son. I know that you have a love for ancient arts and Adrian is an artist, I know that you two may have a lot in common, although I did not want to scare him by confronting you both directly. I ask if you could make some interaction with him during the evening. _

_Sincerely, _

_Her Royal Highness Queen Danielle Ivashkov._

_Postscript: Ms Stanton if you read this letter, I must tell you that you have no control over this and if you try to stop Miss Sage from attending the formal I will have you arrested._"

I finished reading and continued to look at the paper, afraid of their reactions.

Sabrina was the first one to speak.

"It's not fair! Mother, why do you not know the Queen personally? _Her_ mother did!"

Rose jumped in. "Yeah! Now she's going to have better chances with Prince Ivashkov because the Queen is supportive of it. We just got standard letters, she got a personal one!"

They continued to shriek about the fairness of the situation like the brats they were. Stanton looked horrified at her crying daughters, I kind of felt bad.

"Sweethearts, I can't do anything-" Stanton tried

"Don't bother talking to me!" Sabrina ran to her room, Rose on her trail.

"YOU!" Stanton shrieked, pointing at me as if it was my fault. "Go clean your step-sisters' rooms! Then you can help them get their dresses fitted for the ball and then you can go make dinner!"

She snatched the letter from me and stormed off. She stopped and turned to me. "Oh, and don't even think of attending that ball."

I was left wide-eyed in her wake. _She has no control over that! The Queen said-_

I groaned. The Queen wouldn't know the difference unless I told her and I was never allowed to leave the house.

This bites.

_Back to the present (Straight after she was woken up in the 1__st__ chapter)_

Walking out of my room towards the kitchens, I heard Rose and Sabrina making a fuss about the ball as they came down the hall. When they spotted me their eyes went wide.

Oh no.

"Sydney! The ball is tonight and I need you to make finishing touches on my dress!" Rose demanded.

"And I need you to curl my hair the way you did yours at the dinner a couple months ago!" Sabrina cut in.

"Oh, yes," Rose continued. "Maybe a side braid, or plaits…"

They continued to walk discussing more details. Once they were out of an ear-shot I said. "Yes, of course! Whatever, pleases you! You two aren't princesses!"

Everyone looked at me as I threw my little hissy fit in the hall, stomping my foot as I continued to the kitchen.

I was stroppy in making breakfast. I threw and threw things just to let everyone know I was angry, no kind of attitude I would acquire in the presence of Stanton or the twins of evil.

I had just thrown a tomato at the wall when Eddie came in. The wall was right next to the door so he got spray back. He looked at my incredulously.

"Sydney, are you okay?" he asked, gently; obviously not wanting to piss me off further.

"No!" I tossed my blonde hair over my shoulder before beginning my rant. "I'm tired of being treated like this by queen bitch and twins of evil! I'm so freaking sick of it. I so pissed off and-you're not helping by staring!" I shrieked, and everyone turned their heads but Eddie kept his gaze trained on me.

"Okay, now why are you really upset?"

Damn, he knew me too well. I averted my gaze.

"I don't know," I answered, truthfully.

"It has something to do with the ball, you've been more and more anxious since you got that letter. And now you're really upset. You're so good at hiding your emotions, why are you acting like this?"

It did have something to do with the ball, I knew it did. "I just feel like I _have_ to go. Like something's waiting there for me (A/N ooh, Sydrian intuition!)."

"Okay."

I looked up at him. "What?"

"Okay, I'll help you sneak into the ball."

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**A/N: Okay, that again was an info chapter, next chapter is going to be Adrian's POV before the ball and then in chapter four or five is going to be the ball because I need to put in the big breakout!**

**Also I like the response to the first chapter as this is my first fanfiction! Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3: The Build-Up

**A/N: Okay, just to let you know, this is in olden times, like with the puffy dresses and carriages and stuff, sorry for taking so long to update!**

**I've forgotten on the first couple chapters but:**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Richelle Mead own the Bloodlines series (*pouts* but I want Adrian!) and I don't own the Cinderella story (who owns it…?)**

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Adrian's POV (A/N *girlish scream* OMFG OMFG!)

I heard an annoying and persistent tapping noise in my sleep. I twitched as the door opened, I felt a small figure standing over me. I peeked out one eye-trying to still be asleep.

A young maid stood there, her eyes dark and wide. I don't remember her name-Leah, Laura or something-but I remember that we hadn't slept together yet. Yet.

My eyes opened and I smirked at her taken aback expression as I sat up-shirtless-in my bed.

"You know," I started. "It gets awfully lonely in the mornings."

Her eyes were still wide. But I could see consideration within her.

I looked down onto the bed and pouted slightly. I felt the edge of the bed dip and she had sat beside me. She gazed at me lustily. I smirked and pulled her to me.

And the rest, well, you know. (A/N Damn you Adrian! But you'll stop your player ways soon. Mwa ha ha… sorry, I like commenting on my work)

I walked towards the breakfast table where my parents sat, my father glared-which I returned-and my mother smiled at me.

"Good morning Adrian. Did Lily have trouble getting you out of bed?" mom asked me. I kissed her on the cheek before sitting down.

"Nope," I smirked. "No trouble at all."

I winked at the girl-Lily, I'd forget it later again-and she blushed. My father looked appalled at her, her eyes widened in fear and left immediately.

He turned back to me. "Another girl corrupted."

Mom glared at him before looking back at me. "Adrian, honey, I really wish you would wait until you're married to do that kind of stuff."

I raised an eyebrow. "Sleeping with other women?"

"No," she protested, exasperated. "Having intercourse with your wife."

"But I'll be so confined," he protested, jokingly. "I like variety."

"Yeah," my mother joked back. "If you like varieties so much, eat your vegetables."

I pouted as she continued to read her old, tattered book.

After breakfast, I was being prepared for the ball. I didn't even like the stupid idea, I preferred my suggestion-find a woman that liked sleeping around as much as I did and then we'd be even. My mother was dead set on 'love' though.

"_Just imagine your perfect girl," my mother had said._

"_Perfect girl?" I'd said. "She'd be hot, she'd be experienced in sex, she'd have no problem with my sleeping around and she'd be blonde. Easy."_

_My mother had shaken her head in exasperated and said. "Sure, keep that 'blond' thing going."_

She had said that because my father doesn't like blonds, and I'd do anything to defy my father.

I winked at a passing maid on the way to the fitting room. She blushed and sped up, walking away from me.

I entered the room and began to get fitted.

* * *

Sydney's POV

"Okay, so I heard Stanton talking about leaving the ball at midnight and going at nine. So if you leave at nine-thirty and come back and eleven-thirty, you'll have two hours to find and converse with the Prince," Eddie told me.

"Okay," I said, swallowing back my nervousness, I began twirling my gold cross from around my neck around my index finger.

"Now," Angeline said, evilly; turning to me. "Your dress."

I froze. "What?"

I could just go in this attire; I looked down at my white stained dress, one of three I owned. Okay, maybe not.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked cautiously.

"This."

She pulled out a red dress the extended to the floor, sparkles covering the skirt of it and a strap-crossed back, revealing half my back.

I gaped in horror. "That is too revealing, I'm not wearing it!"

Angeline snorted. "_This _is revealing? Have you seen your step-sisters' dresses yet? Besides, you want the Prince's attention, no?"

_Come on, Sydney! Angeline's right, I do want Prince Ivashkov's attention, and maybe this bold dress could help._

"Fine. I'll wear it."

9:30 came way too quickly, before I knew it I was in a carriage with Trey at the horses. It was about twenty minutes before we arrived at the castle and it was magnificent.

The architecture was amazing, the way the turrets (I think that's what they're called) were built in a circle around the main section in a way that made it flare with a royal aura.

"Now, how to get in?" Trey wondered, sliding out of his seat, to stand next to me.

I pondered on it for a while before finding a way in.

"Distract the guard at that door," I told Trey, pointing out the alert guard posted at a back entrance.

He gave me a sharp nod before walking over. A fake panicked look took over his face as he started shouting wildly at the guard, his eyes widened before running in the direction Trey was pointing. After about twenty second when I was sure I wasn't in his line of sight.

"You're welcome," Trey told me sarcastically, before ushering me inside the door. "I'll meet you out here at 11:30 sharp, okay?"

"Thank you, Trey," I said, earnestly. "I don't know what I'd do without you or Eddie."

He cracked a smile. "Go get your Prince Charming."

**A/N: And because I'm so nice, an excerpt out of the next chapter:**

Adrian's POV

Then _she_ came into my line of sight. I began ignoring the brunette I had been talking to and followed this girl's every movement. Sunny blond hair flared as she turned to look me straight in the eye from across the room. Her honey golden eyes-that went so well with her fire red dress-filled with emotion that I could not place, it intrigued me.

I made my way across the room to her and took her hand.

"May I have this dance?"

* * *

…

…

…

**OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG! I had to add that last bit, it was swimming in my head for so long and I needed to put it down. Sunny blond hair and honey golden eyes…**

**CUTE!**

**Sydrian is awesome! Please review to see what happens-is it love at first sight for Sydney too? Most importantly… will she dance with him?**

**LOL I can imagine that: "May I have this dance?" "No."**

**Ha ha ha!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Ball

**A/N: Hey, sorry it took so long, I was writing this chapter in my journal thing and I was writing it during class and my teacher took it off of me. He took a week and a half to give it back! He gave it back and is just like "It's good... Adrian is portrayed perfectly..."**

**"What the hell? MY ENGLISH TEACHER READS THE BLOODLINES SERIES!"**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: RICHELLE MEAD OWNS THE BLOODLINES SERIES**

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Sydney's POV

I ran down the stairs, moving my body towards the music and laughter of the ball.

"Father, I told you; I do not wish to marry!"

Exclamations drifted from behind one of the many closed doors that drabbled down the hallway. I hesitated before deciding against better judgement and following the sound of the arguments.

"You will do as I tell you, Adrian."

"Why?" a voice countered. "Telling me what to do? Pushing me around? All while mom's downstairs working her ass off to find me the perfect wife!"

I gasped quietly. It was the King and the Prince. It had to be.

"Don't speak to me like that! I am your father and you will not disrespect me like this!"

"Whatever."

I heard a lock click open and I immediately pushed myself into the darkness that the shadows provided. A young man emerged and I had to say.

He was gorgeous.

His brown hair was styled to look like this head had just left the pillow; he was tall-6'5, maybe-and pale making his high cheek bones prominent. And his eyes.

They were emerald green; mesmerizing and mischievous-although they held anger and frustration, from the argument I'm sure. He slammed the door shut and stormed off in the other direction. I breathed a sigh of relief and followed him at a safe distance-assuming he was heading to the ball room.

Clinking of champagne glasses and music and laughter flowed into my ears at my arrival. The room was extremely large and was lit with bright, shining chandeliers hanging elegantly from the high ceiling. It was filled with young women and older men-as fathers normally accompany their daughters to events such as this.

I spotted the Prince moving from lady to lady as they danced. A rotating partners dance-one that I recognized and immediately slipped in.

Every woman wanted to dance with the Prince as they eagerly awaited their turn.

Me included.

* * *

Adrian's POV

I was extremely pissed off about what happened with dad. Who the hell does he think he is? Telling me what I can and can't do, who I can and can't marry.

"So, how are you?"

I looked down at a young redhead.

Meh, too short.

"Nothing."

And I moved onto a medium height brunette.

"Hi, I'm Rose," she said, seductively.

I think she'd make a great trophy wife.

I began to dance with her, bombarding her with questions about her home life.

"And my step-sister is so annoying, she's ugly and she's blond. Eww!"

I chuckled.

Then _she_ came into my line of sight. I began ignoring the brunette I had been talking to and followed this girl's every movement. Sunny blond hair flared as she turned to look me straight in the eye from across the room. Her honey golden eyes-that went so well with her fiery red dress-filled with emotion that I could not place, it intrigued me.

I made my way across the room to her and took her hand.

"May I have this dance?"

Her eyes nervously looked up at me; I pretty much fell in love with her right then and there.

"Um, I-yeah, yeah. Sure."

I almost laughed at her innocence.

I swept her into the dance, and we just moved together, no words were spoken, not that they needed to be; but I wanted to know what was on her mind

"So, what's your name?" I asked her.

She was about to respond when it was time to change partners.

I smirked at her before circling behind the guy that was supposed to dance with her next and bumped him into the next girl, connecting back up with the girl, I repeated my question.

She looked shocked. "Um, my name's Sydney…"

"Sydney."

When I said her name I could almost taste strawberries on my tongue; incidentally that was exactly what she smelled like.

"My name's Adrian," I told her before letting go of her hands and repeating the same move as before and joining back up with her.

A man a little younger than me looked extremely annoyed, but I ignored him.

"I know, you're the Prince," she said, softly.

I sighed. "Look, I don't want you to have to force yourself to talk to me, if you don't want to, I'll leave."

_And try again later, _I added mentally.

She looked startled. "Oh, no, that's not it at all; I was just trying to make sense of why you would talk to me. I'm not royalty. And I doubt your father would allow you to even talk to someone like me."

I repeated the Duck-Around-And-Sneak-Back-To-Sydney move before asking her what she did.

"I'm… a servant."

"But you are dressed in finest silk, you carry yourself with dignity and respect, most of all you are clean. And you are a servant?"

"My friends sneaked me in," she confessed.

My eyes widened and I backed away. "You really are a servant."

Her beautiful golden eyes filled with hurt. "So that's it?"

I wanted to hold her and tell her that I didn't care that she was a worker, I didn't care that she wasn't royalty; but to my horror:

I did care. I cared that she wasn't raised the way I was. I cared that she wore rags every day. I felt almost disgusted at the fact that she was below me.

Almost as if she read my mind, her eyes welled up with tears and I felt my chest tighten, I could barely breath.

Then the clock struck midnight. Her tear-filled eyes flew to the clock.

"No," she whispered.

She dashed out of the ballroom, tears sill falling from her eyes.

I had to go after her. I took off running about five seconds after her.

She was running down the stairs, towards the entrance when I saw something gold fly from around her neck onto the velvet stair lining. She looked back at it but a guy who seemed to appear out of nowhere shouted at her to leave it and they took off. Running to the entrance, the last thing I saw was the carriage that contained the only girl I wanted to wed inside.

I walked back to the stairs and picked up with small golden object. It was a necklace, a golden cross; she had been wearing it while we were dancing and I had noticed whenever she had a free hand, she would twirl it around her fingers.

"I will find the girl that this necklace belongs to, and I will marry her," I vowed, quietly, before retreating to my chambers, just wanting to be alone and see no one.

Except Sydney. I would see Sydney.


	5. Chapter 5: Miss Sydney Stubbornness

Sydney's POV

Stanton threw me into the dirty cell by my arm.

"This is the last time you disobey me!" she screeched. "You will stay in this cell until the visit from the Prince is over!"

I had to admit, the Royals work fast. The ball had only been a day ago and they were already searching.

I had felt heartbroken from last night. I should have never told him I was a servant; I just thought he would accept me as me.

I curled in the corner of the cell and remembered every event of last night:

_My eyes met the emerald eyes of the young Prince._

_He began to make his way across the room to me, I begun to panic as he took my hand and asked with a voice that could stop a crying child._

_"May I have this dance?"_

_I nervously looked up at him and deep emotion flashed in his eyes_

"_Um, I-yeah, yeah. Sure."_

_His eyes twinkled with growing amusement at my nervous stuttering._

_We entered the dance and was in complete silence before he began to ask us things._

"_So, what's your name?" he asked me._

_I opened my mouth to respond before it came to the part of the dance to change partners._

_He smirked at me before circling behind the guy that was supposed to dance with me next and bumped him into the next girl, connecting back up with me, he repeated his question._

_I was stunned to say the least, what the hell was that? "Um, my name's Sydney…"_

"_Sydney."_

_When my name rolled off his tongue with such ease I shivered slightly in delight._

"_My name's Adrian," he told me, before letting go of my hands and repeating the same move as before and joining back up with me. God, this was so mind blowing. _

"_I know, you're the Prince," I whispered, softly._

_He sighed. "Look, I don't want you to have to force yourself to talk to me, if you don't want to, I'll leave."_

_I looked up at him shocked at his assumption. "Oh, no, that's not it at all; I was just trying to make sense of why you would talk to me. I'm not royalty. And I doubt your father would allow you to even talk to someone like me."_

_He repeated that ridiculous move, before he asked what I did. I fell into a short silence. Should I tell him? If I explain why, maybe he'll understand… _

"_I'm… a servant."_

_I winced._

"_But you are dressed in finest silk, you carry yourself with dignity and respect, most of all you are clean. And you are a servant?"_

"_My friends sneaked me in," I confessed._

_His beautiful eyes widened and he backed away. "You really are a servant."_

_I looked away, hurt and angry. "So that's it?"_

_I knew what he was thinking, he was disgusted at me, my eyes filled with tears, I tried to blink them back, but it was no use._

_Then the clock struck midnight. My eyes-that were blurred with tears-flew to the large clock._

"_No," I whispered, I'm late._

_I ran out of the ballroom, tears sill falling from my eyes._

_I ran down the stairs, towards the entrance-knowing he was coming after me-when the golden cross flew from my neck. I looked back at it but Trey had popped up and shouted at me to leave it and we took off. Not my mother's necklace…_

I sobbed quietly before noises came from the staircase.

"Sydney," a voice whispered out of the darkness.

"Eddie?" I asked, wiping tears with the back of my sleeve.

He came into view and pulled out a ring of keys.

"Where did you get those?" I asked, standing up shakily.

"From Ian. The trainee guard," he quickly explained, pushing open the metal door.

"If Stanton catches you, you'll be out of here; your mother too."

He winced, his mother was sick and if they were to be forced to leave, she wouldn't make it.

"I know, but I promised this to you."

"No you didn't."

"It was an unspoken promise; don't put logic into me helping you."

"Eddie, Sydney. The Prince is here."

I cast a glace up at Trey. "Is that why you're helping me? There's no point, the Prince already told me how he feels about me; he doesn't care."

"He has your necklace, he wants the girl who owns it; he wants you, Sydney," Trey told me.

I walked back into the cell and sat down. "You know what, just let Rose have him."

"Are you going to let that bitch have him?" Trey countered.

Eddie fixed him with a disapproving look, but Trey continued. "Now are you going to let her take your man?"

"He's not my man-" I started.

"He's not Rose's either, so why should she have him? He's more yours than her's."

"I really don't like how you're phrasing this-" I tried again.

"Do you want to stay here the rest of your life?"

"Of course not, but-"

"Isn't marrying the Prince the best option?"

"Stop!" I shouted at him. "Stop pressuring me, he doesn't care about me, he doesn't want me; I said no!"

I sat back down on the dirty ground and pulled my knees up to my chest.

"Just go."

Trey opened his mouth to make another argument, but Eddie grabbed his arm.

"Leave her," he whispered.

Eddie's POV

Trey didn't understand, Sydney was so used to rejection she seemed to make it up in her own mind.

I was now determined. As we left the basement, I separated from Trey and went to have a little chat to our dear friend, His Royal Highness Prince Adrian Ivashkov.


	6. Chapter 6: Finding Sydney (Part One)

Eddie's POV

I knocked on the double French-styled doors and waited patiently for a reply.

"Enter," a soft voice called, that was clearly trying to be stern but didn't have the personality for it.

I opened the door and spied the Prince lying lazily on the bed, with a book in his hands.

"You are?" he questioned, sitting up and setting the book down on the bedside table.

"I am Eddie Castile," I informed him with a respectful bow. "I work in the castle. I am here to talk to you about Sydney Sage."

His lazy and 'I don't care' expression became serious. "You know Sydney?"

"Yes," I nodded. "I am very good friends with her and I-"

"Where is she?" he demanded, standing up to his full height; which was a good foot higher than me.

"That's not why I'm here-" I tried.

"I don't give a fuck why you're here! Tell me where she is!" he yelled, standing up to his full height which is a good half a foot taller than I.

"I could tell you-" I began before I was rudely interrupted.

"Then do it!" he exclaimed in frustration.

"You could go and get her and whisk her away to you're castle-"

"Yes, that's what I want!" he nodded enthusiastically.

"Where you'll be wed and live happily every after-"

"Will you just tell me where she is!"

"But she won't be happy with you if you don't listen to what I have to say."

He went silent.

"Fine. Speak."

"Sydney was born into a family with a mother and a father and two sisters; one older, one younger," I began. "As the middle child she was constantly overlooked and was raised thinking she wasn't worth the attention. When her mother and sister's died, Sydney's father threw himself into work and still rarely saw his daughter. Then when he remarried, she suddenly had another pair of sisters, more attention-seeking than the last. And finally when Jared Sage died, Donna Stanton made her step-daughter feel worthless. Sydney was brought up, constantly being overlooked and ignored, she feels very harshly about things; like what happened last night."

"I realised my mistake-" he began.

"I know you did," I said, earnestly. "And I think Sydney knows it too. But she's trying to protect herself from rejection. She opened herself up last night and she got burned. She needs to know that you care enough to protect her and shield her from that."

"I'll protect her," he said, fiercely.

I watched his sincere green eyes before telling him where she was.

He nodded and me and ran to the doors, before pausing.

"Thanks kid," he told me. "You may have just helped your friend in the long run."

Then he left.

* * *

**A/N: This is only part one of the chapter. PLEASE REVIEW! I love reading all the comments.**


	7. Chapter 7: Finding Sydney (Part Two)

Adrian's POV

I think this was the reason I came into this world. To save and protect my golden-eyed angel. I ran the way her friend had told me. Before bumping into-

"Hello, your highness."

I looked down. Rose.

"I've got to go," I said, in a rush of jumbled words.

She looked momentarily shocked before she responded.

"Oh, well, I was thinking we could go to town and I could show you around."

I was about to decline before a brilliant idea hit me.

"Uh, you know what?" I said, flashing her my brilliantly bright smile, despite my dull mood. "I would love to go."

* * *

Rose's POV

_Before she ran into Adrian._

The prince was visiting. I couldn't believe it. I would make him mine.

I was out in town, buying some new dresses since Sydney was momentarily out of commission.

"Excuse me, miss?" a lightly accented voice asked.

I turned around and met a pair of the darkest eyes I'd ever seen. His chin-length brown hair was tied back and wisps escaped, framing his face.

"Y-yes," I tried to steady my voice.

"I'm looking for a dress for my younger sister. Can you help me?"

"Yeah!" I said, a little too enthusiastically. "Uh, I mean-I guess I could help."

He gave e a small smile.

We spent the next hour going through fabrics and sizes and colours.

"Her favourite fabric is silk and her favourite colour is lilac."

"Oh, really? My favourite colour is pink-" I quickly spoke, deciding pink was too predictable. "I mean, it _was_ pink it's now blue."

"Really?" he said, paying for the dress we had chosen. "Pink is my wife's favourite. Thank you for your help."

I froze as he walked away.

He was married? I suddenly felt angry and stupid. Of course he's married, there's always someone better

* * *

"So what's your family like?" the prince asked, as we walked through the town.

"Sabrina and I are close, mum's okay too."

He picked up an apple and gave a smile at the woman behind the stand that gave it to him for free. "Didn't you mention a step-sister at the ball?"

"Oh, that's Sydney. Mum married Jared and suddenly she's in our house."

"Is she that bad?"

"No, actually. She's really nice, but I guess I feel…"

I paused.

"Jealous. She always has everything I didn't. Whenever a suitor came to visit, they'd always be in love with her by the time they left-without her even trying."

Adrian watched me with his green eyes.

I sighed.

He then reached into his pocket. "Have you ever seen this before?"

In his hand was the small cross that belonged to Sydney.

"Yeah…"

I thought about it. If I tell him it's Sydney's he'll be hears, just like the rest of them.

"It's mine."

* * *

**A/N: I know that you're thinking 'OMG you know it's not her!' but he did vow to marry the girl who ****_owns_**** the necklace.**


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